Apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials



G. W. WALLACE. APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-@1918.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

000 cod burrs rarenr OFHCE.

GEORGE W. WALLACE, 0]? EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

AEPARATUS FOR DISTILLING CARBONAOEOUS MATERIALS.

Application filed August 5,

' exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use these-me.

This invention relates to apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, and particularly to distilling apparatus of the type that are provided with vertically-disposed retorts.

The main objects of my present invention are to provide an efiicient distilling apparatus of simple design that insures the recovery of the maximum quantity ofoil contained in the carbonaceous material being distilled; that enables the residue to be quickly removed fromv the retorts at a low cost and without subjecting the workmen to the discomfort incident to discharging the residue from vertical retorts of the kind now in general use and which overcomes the necessity of providing an elevated supporting structure of steel or expensive masonry for the retorts.

Another object is to provide a coal distilling apparatus in which the coke is moved upwardly out of the retort and thereafter conveyed to a point some distance from the retort, where it is quenched or cooled, the apparatus preferably being provided with means for protecting the coke from the at mosphere while it is being conveyed away from the retort and while it is being quenched, thereby preventing oxidation of the coke and also eliminating the smoke nuisance incident to the production of coke or the manufacture of, gas.

And still another object is to provide a vertically-disposed retort in which the carbonaceous material being distilled is sustained by a member that is moved positively upwardly through the retort at the termination of the distilling operation, thereby insuring the removal. of the residue quickly and completely, owing to the fact that the residue is discharged from the retort by a positively actuated mechanical means in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 192m 191a. Serial no. aeasia.

stead of by gravity, as in the vertical retorts now in general use. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will he hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the retorts, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating another form of retort; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, illustrating another way of forming a gas-tight joint between the retort and the removable cap or cover that forms a closure for the upper end of the retort.

My improved apparatus can be successfully used for distilling various kinds of carbonaceous materials, but it is particularly adapted for use in distilling coking coals and carbonaceous materials that fuse into a homogeneous mass. In its simplest form it comprises a vertically-disposed retort whose upper andlower ends are sealed or cut oil from the atmosphere during the distilling operation, means for applying heat externally to said retort, a perforated take-oil duct combined with said retort in such a manner that all of the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the distilling operation will travel inwardly into said take-oil duct through the coolest portion of the material in the retort and then flow downwardly through said take-oil duct to a discharge pipe leading away from the apparatus, and means arranged above the retort for moving the takeoff duct and the residue of the distilling operation upwardly out of the retort. The apparatus can be provided with either one or a plurality of retorts, and when it is used for distilling coking coals it is preferably provided with a member that protects the coked residue of the distilling operation from the atmosphere while said coked residue is beingconveyed away from the retort to the point where it is quenched or cooled.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates a plurality of vert1cally-d1s posed retorts that are adapted to be filled with coking coal or other carbonaceous material containing oil that can be extracted by adistilling operation, said retorts being mounted in a suitable supporting structure 1, and each retort being surrounded by a combustion chamber a; to which products of combustion from any suitable source are supplied. Each of the retorts A consists of a cylindrical shell 2 tapered inwardly slightly from its upper toward its lower end and provided with a bottom, formed preferably by a contracted portion 2 of inverted cone shape. A take-off duct B consisting of a perforated member of cylindrical form is arranged at the center of the retort, the upper end of said take-off duct being closed and the lower end of said take-0E duct communicating with a discharge pipe 3 in which a suction is created by some suitable means during the distilling operation. The retort is provided with a removable cap or cover that forms a closure for the upper end of the retort during the distilling operation, said cover being so constructed that a gastight joint is formed between same and the upper edge of the retort so as to seal the upper end of the retort or cut it off from the atmosphere during the distilling. operation. In the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 2 the cover 4 is provided with a depending flange 4 that projects into an annular well 2 on the upper end portion of the retort that is filled with water or some other suitable liquid, thus producing a liquid seal for the removable cover 4. In the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 4 a gasket 5 of some suitable material is arranged between the upper edge of the retort and the cover 4, and means is provided for securely clamping the cover in position, the clamping means shown in Fig. 4 consisting of a yoke 6 and an operating, screw 6 of con ventional form. The take-ofi' duct B can either be connected to or carried by the removable cover 4 of the retort, or said takeoff duct can" consist of a separate unit that is withdrawn from the retort after the cover 4 of the retort has been removed. Therefore, in Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown the take-ofl" duct B connected at its upper end to the removable cover 4 so that both the cover and the take-01f duct can be removed at one operation, and in Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated the take-01f duct as consisting of a single unit separate and distinct from the cover 4 and having no direct connection with same. When the take-off duct is formed as a separate unit, as shown in Figs.

3 and 4, it is provided with a top wall or portion 7 that forms a closure for the upper end of the take-off duct. If desired, the

take-ofi' duct can consist of a cylindrical,

member whose upper end is connected with the removable cover 4 of the retort, said cover serving as a closure for the upper end of the take-off duct. Said take-ofi' duct is provided with numerous orifices y through which the gases, vapors and oils evolved in the distilling operation are drawn inwardly into the take-off duct by the suction produced in the discharge pipe 3 with which the lower end of the takeoff duct communicates, said orifices y being so positioned that the topmost row of orifices will be below the level of the carbonaceous material in the retort, thereby insuring all of the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the distilling operation traveling through the coolest portion of the material in the retort and thence into the take-off duct in escaping from the retort.

I It is essential that a tight oint be formed between the lower end of the take-01f duct B and the bottom 2 of the retort, and while this can be effected in various ways, I have found that a gas-tight joint can be formed between said parts by providing the lower end ofthe take-off duct B with a beveled or tapered edge 2 that rests upon the tapered bottom 2* of the retort when the take-off duct B is in operative position. The takeoff duct B is provided adjacent its lower end with a laterally-projecting flange 8 whose peripheral edge preferably fits snugly against the inner face of the side wall of theretort when said take-off duct is in operative position, said flange 8 serving as the sustaining means for the carbonaceous material in the retort and being arranged in sufliciently close proximity to the bottom row' of orifices y in the take-oil duct to eliminate the possibility of any liquids c01 lecting and remaining in the lower end portion of the retort. The flange 8 on the takeoff duct virtually forms the bottom of the retort, and in view of the fact that said flange is rigidly connected, to the take-off duct, it is obvious that when the take-ofi' duct B is moved upwardly through the retort, during the operation of withdrawingv the take-off duct from the retort, the residue of the coking operation will be simultaneously discharged or re moved from the retort.

Any suitable means can be used for withdrawlng the takeoff ducts from the retorts and arranging said take-01f ducts in operative position preparatory to charging the retorts, but i prefer to provide the apparatus with an overhead track 9 on which a crane 10 travels, said crane being equipped with a hoisting apparatus ll. At the termination of the distilling operation the crane 10 can be moved into operative position above the a cover 4 upwardly. 1f the take-0E duct B is connected to the cover 4, only one operation is required to remove the cover and also withdraw the take-oft" duct and the residue of the distilling operation from the retort. If the take-oft duct is formed as a separate unit, however, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, it is necessary to first remove the cover of the retort and then insert the hoisting hook 12 in an eye or other suitable device 7 on the upper end of the take-ofi duct and then operate the cable so as to move the take-ofi' duct and the coked residue supported by the flange 8 on said take-0ft duct upwardly out of the retort.

The apparatus is of course provided with some suitable means for closing the discharge pipe 3 prior to the operation of disconnecting the take-ofi duct from said discharge pipe, said means consisting of a liquid seal or a quick-acting valve 3, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

After the take-oit duct B and the mass of coked material that surrounds same has been withdrawn from the retort, the crane 10 is moved on the overhead track 9 to a point some distance away from the retort, where the coked mass surrounding the takeoff duct is quenched and then discharged or removed from the take-oft ductin any suitable manner. Thereafter, the take-oft" duct is returned to the retort by the crane 10 and lowered into the retort by slacking the cable 11, the material being dumped into the open upperl end of the retort after the take-off duct has been arranged in operative position. In order that the coked material will be protected from the atmosphere while it is being conveyed away from the retort, I have provided the apparatus with a hollow member 14: consisting of a cylindrical shell open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, as shown in Fig. 1, said shell being suspended by any suitable means from the crane 10. When the crane is moved into operative position above the retort preparatory to withdrawing the take-oit duct and the residue of the distilling operation, as previously described, the shell 14 will be brought into alinement with the retort, ovving to the fact that said shell is suspended from the crane. Consequently, when the take-ofi' duct B is thereafter moved upwardly out of the retort, said take-0E duct and the coked residue sustained by the flange 8 on the take-off duct will be positioned within the shell 14, the top wall of said shell being provided with an opening through which the hoisting cable 11 and the hook thereon can be lowered into position to be engaged with the removable cover of the retort or the device at the upper end of the take-01f duct, depending upon whether the take-oft duct is connected with the cover of the retort or formed as a separate unit. When the take-off duct and the coked residue sustained by same is being conveyed away from the retort, the shell 14 protects the coked material from the atmosphere, thereby preventing it from oxidizing and also eliminating the smoke nuisance usually connected with the production of coke or manufacture of gas. The shell 1 t protects the coked material from the atmosphere, and it can be so designed that it tends to prevent said coked material from dropping off the flange 8 on the take-oft duct while said material is being withdrawn from the retort and while it being conveyed to the point where it is to be quenched or stored. The shell 1 can either be mounted on the crane 10 in such a manner that it can be lowered into close proximity to the upper end of the retort during the operation of withdrawing the take-off duct B and thereafter raised high enough to clear the covers on the other retorts, or it can be provided at its lower end with a telescoped portion 14:. In practice I prefer to quench or cool the coked material by admitting water or steam into the shell 14 prior to the opera tion of discharging the coked material from the take-0ft duct.

An apparatus of the construction above described has many features which make it adecided improvement on the apparatus heretofore in use for distilling carbonaceous materials; it insures the recovery of the maximum quantity of oil contained in the carbonaceous material being distilled, due

to the tact that it is so constructed that all of the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the distilling operation travel through the coolest portion of the material in the retort in escaping into the take-oit duct down which said gases, vapors and liquids are drawn by the suction in the discharge pipe 3 which communicates with the lower end of the take-oft duct; it materially reduces the time and cost of discharging the residue from vertical retorts and eliminates the discomforts to the workmen incident to dis charging vertical retorts of the kind now in general use, owing to the fact that the residue is moved upwardly out of the upper end of the retort and then conveyed away from the retort by means of an overhead crane equipped with a. hoisting apparatus, and it overcomes the necessityot providing a supporting structure for the retorts of steel or expensive masonry, owing to the fact that it is not provided with a pit arranged beneath the retorts into which the residue from the retorts is discharged, as in the vertical retort apparatus heretofore in use. The process disclosed herein is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 271,825.

for sustaining the material being distilled,

and means arranged above the retort for withdrawing the take-off duct together with the residue of the distilling operation upwardly through the retort.

2. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort tapered inwardly slightly from its upper toward its lower end and provided with a bottom, a perforated take-ofl' ductin said retort adapted to be withdrawn upwardly through the retort and arranged so that the lower end of same rests on the bottom of the retort, and a laterally projecting flange on said take-off duct whose peripheral edge fits snugly against the inside of the retort, said flange serving as a support for the material being distilled.

3. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort provided at its lower end with a contracted portion, a suction pipe communicating with said contracted portion, a perforated take-off duct in said retort whose lower end is sealed or joined by a tight joint is the contracted portion of the retort, and

cans on said take-ofi' duct for sustaining the material being distilled, said means and said takeoff duct being adapted to be moved upwardly through the retort at the termination of the distilling operation.

4. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort provided at its lower end with a contracted portion of tapered form, a removable cover for the upper end of said retort, a perforated take-off duct in said retort whose lower end is tapered or beveled so that it will bear snugly against the contracted portion of the retort, a suction pipe that communicates with the lower end of said take-oil duct, and means arranged between the take-ofi' duct and the side wall of the retort for sustaining the material being distilled, said means and take-off duct being adapted to be moved upwardly through the retort at the termination of the distilling operation.

5. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort that is tapered inwardly slightly from its upper toward its lower end, a removable cover for the upper end of said retort, a perforated take-off duct in said retort closed at its upper end and having its lower end communicating with a suction pipe, and a laterally projecting flange on said take-off duct for supporting the material being distilled and having its peripheral edge bearing snugly against the inner side of the retort, said take-off duct being adapted to be moved upwardly through the retort so as to discharge the residue of the distilling operation.

6. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort tapered inwardly slightly from its upper toward its lower end and provided at its lower end with a contracted portion, a suction pipe communicating with the con tracted portion of the retort, a perforated take-off duct in said retort adapted to be withdrawn upwardly through the retort and provided at its lower end with a beveled edge that rests upon the contracted portion of the retort, and a laterally projecting flange on said take-off duct for supporting the material being distilled and having its peripheral edge bearing snugly against the inner surface of the side wall of the retort.

7. An apparatus for distilling carbonace'ous materials, comprising a vertically disposed retort, a device in said retort for sustaining the material being distilled, means for moving said device together with the residue of the distillingoperation upwardly out of the retort and to the place where the residue. is to be stored or treated, and means attached to said moving device for protecting the residue from the atmosphere while it is being conveyed away from the retort.

8. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising a vertically-disposed retort, a vertically-movable structure in said retort for sustaining the material be ing distilled, means for completely withdrawing said structure together with the residue thereon upwardly out of the upper end of the retort, and then conveying said structure away from the retort, and a hollow member adapted to be arranged above the retort in vertical alinement with same so as to-receive said vertically movable structure and the residue carried by same.

9. An apparatus for distilling carbonaceous materials, comprising vertically disposed retorts, an overhead track structure arranged above the retorts, vertically movable devices in said retorts for sustaining the material being distilled, a movable carrier on said track structure, means combined with said carrier for withdrawing the residue in said retorts upwardly through the retorts, and a hollow member on said carrier into which the vertically movable device of a retort and the residue sustained by same is adapted to be moved during the operation of discharging the residue from the retort.

10. An apparatus for distilling carbona ceous materials, comprising vertically disposed retorts perforated take-01f ducts in said retorts, suction pipes communicating with the lower ends of said take-off ducts, removable covers for the upper ends of said 10 retorts, means on said take-off ducts for sus taining the material being distilled, an overhead track structure arranged above the retorts, and means carried by said track struc ture for enabling the take-0fi duct of any retort together with the residue of the dis tilling operation to be withdrawn upwardly through the retort and conveyed away from the retort.

GEORGE W. WALLACE. 

